Engine-controlling device



`(No Model.)

A, P. LOPER. ENGINE CONTROLLING DEVICE.

No. 604,253A Patented May 17,1898.

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ALEXANDER P. LOPER, OF STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

ENGINE-CONTROLLING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 604,253, dated May 17, 1898.

APPHOMOU filed September 9,1897. Serial No. 651,104. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER P. LOPER, of Stonington, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Engine-Controlling Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide new and improved engine-controlling device more especially designed for use on marine vessels to enable the pilot or other person remote from. the engine to fully control the same for stopping, starting, or backing purposes and for running the engine at any desired speed.

The invention consists of an auxiliary cylinder containing a piston connected with the throttle-valve and with the reversing-gear of the engine for actuating both simultaneously and a valve directly under the control of the pilot or other person and connected with a supply and with the ends of the said auxiliary cylinder to shift the piston therein in the desired direction.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

` Reference is'to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of the improvement as applied, parts being in section; and Fig. 2 is 'a similar View of the same with parts' in a different position.

The marine engine A (shown in Fig. l) is provided with the usual steam-inlet pipe B, connected with a suitable source 'of supply and containing a throttle-valve C, carrying on its stem an arm D, connected by a link E with the outer end or head F of a piston-rod F, carrying a piston G within an auxiliary cylinder I-I. The head F of the piston-rod F is also connected with the reversing-gearI of the engine A, and for this purpose the said head is pivotally connected by a link I with a bell-crank lever I2, fulcrumed on the engine-frame and connected by a link I3 with the reversing-link I4 of the reversing mechanism I.

On the outer end of the piston-rod F is coiled a spring J, pressing against the head F, and a similar spring J is coiled on the lower projecting end ofthe piston --rod for pressing against a collar F2, secured to theextreme lower end of the piston-rod F. The springs J J' serve to hold the piston G normally in a middle position in the cylinder H, asis plainly shown in Fig. Q-that is, the piston G stands in this position during the time the steam is cut o from either end of the cylinder H.

The ends of the cylinder H are connected with pipes K K, opening into a valve L on opposite sides thereof, the said valve being connected by a pipe N with a steam-supply, preferably with the inlet-pipe B, as indicated in Fig. l. The valve L is also provided with an exhaust-pipe L', and on the plug L2 of the said valve is secured an arm L3, connected by a link O with an arm O', secured on a shaft I), carrying a pointer Q, indicating on a quadrant R, in which the shaft P is j ournaled and which is at or near the pilot-house. The quadrant R is graduated to indicate at its middle stop position, at one end ahead, and at the other end back position, with subdivisionsV of and between the said positions.

The operation is as follows: When the several parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, then the pointer Q, indicates a stop position, with the piston G in the middle position in the cylinder H and with the valve C shutting off the steam from the cylinder of the engine A. Now when it is desired to reverse the engine to cause the vessel to back then the operator shifts the pointer Q to the left, either to the one-fourth, one-half, or three-fourths full-back position, so that the valve-plug L2 of the valve L is moved to the position shown in Fig. l to allow live steam to pass from the supply through the pipe N and valve L to the pipe K and into the upper end of the cylinder H to force the piston G downward in the cylinder to the position shown in Fig. l to compress the spring .I and to move the throttlevalve C into an open position and the reversing-gearinto a reversing position. The steam entering the engine-cylinder actuates the piston therein to rotate the main shaft and the propeller-shaft in the reverse direction to cause the vessel to back. Vhen it is desired to start the engine and cause the same to be IOO actuated to propel the vessel forward, then the operator moves the pointer Q from the back position shown in Fig. l to the stopping position shown in Fig. 2 to cut off the live steam from the engine-cylinder by closing the throttle C, and then the pointer Q is moved to the right, either to the one-fourth, one-half,

' or the three-fourths full-ahead position to cause the plug L2 of the valve L to assume such position that the live steam from the pipe N passes through the valve L into the pipe K and from the latter into the lower end of the cylinder H to force the piston G upward to open the throttle-valve C and to move the reversing mechanism Iinto its normal position for causing the engine to run in the usual direction for propelling the boat forward.

It will be seen that by the arrangement described the operator positively turns the plug L2 in the valve L to insure a proper admission of the steam or other motive agent to the anxiliary cylinder H to cause a shifting of the throttle-valve C and of the reversing mechanism I at the same time without the use of other auxiliary devices. Thus the pilot in the pilot-house is certain that the engine will operate in the proper manner, according to the position of the pointer Q on the quadrant R, as the pointer is positively connected with the valve L. When the pointer Q is at the stop position, then the live steam is shut off from both pipes K Kf, and the said pipes are connected with the exhaust-pipe L', so that any steam in the cylinder H exhausts to allow the spring J or J' to bring the piston G back to a normal position to positively close the throttle-valve C, so as to shut off the live steam from the cylinder of the engine A. It is understood that when the piston G moves upward the lower spring is compressed, and when the piston moves downward the upper spring J is compressed, so that when the steam is exhausted from either end of the cylinder the corresponding spring J orJ will return the piston G to a middle 0r normal position. It will further be seen that when the pilot moves the pointer Q to a one-fourth, one-half, or three-fourths position then the plug -L2 is shifted a corresponding distance to open the entrance to the pipes K K correspondingly, so that but a corresponding amount of steam will pass into the cylinder H for shifting the piston and compressing the springs J J correspondingly and for shifting the valve C in a like manner to allow but a corresponding amount of steam to pass to the cylinder of the engine. Thus when the pointer Q is moved to a one-fourth position a very slow motion is given to the engine either for backing or going ahead, and if it is desired to increase the speed the pointer is then shifted to the one-half, three-fourths, or full position, according to the desired speed.

It is evident from the foregoing that the device may be employed on other engines besides marine engines, as above mentioned.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In an engine-controlling device the combination with the throttle-valve and the reversing-gear of an auxiliary cylinder containing a piston normally in a middle position in the cylinder, the piston being connected with the said throttle-valve and the said reversinggear, a valve connected with a Huid-pressure supply and with the ends of the said auxiliary cylinder to admit a fluid under pressure to either end of the said cylinder to shift the piston therein, and means under the control of the operator for shifting the said valve and indicating the position thereof, substantially asdescribed.

2. An engine-controlling device, comprising an auxiliary cylinder containing a piston connected with a throttle-valve and with the reversing-gear of the engine, for actuating both simultaneously, a valve directly under the control of the operator, and connected with a supply and with both ends of the said auxiliary cylinder,and springs connected with the piston-rod of the auxiliary cylinder, to hold the piston thereof normally in a middle position, substantially as shown and described.

3. An engine-controlling device, comprising a quadrant having a pointer, a valve having its plug positively connected with the said pointer, the valve being connected with a steam-supply and with an exhaust, an auxiliary cylinder connected at its ends with the said valve, to permit of sending steam from the valve to either end of the cylinder, a piston contained in the said cylinder, and having its piston-rod pressed on by springs, to normally hold the piston in a middle position, and means for connecting the piston-rod of the said piston with the throttle-valve of the engine and with the reversing mechanism thereof, as set forth.

ALEXANDER P. LOPER.

Witnesses:

G. C. COLE, MosEs A. PENDLETON. 

